Ketchup

Good idea D. I have one of those, but never thought to put it in the boat. Ive always taken it when we shore fish. Good to hear your out there on the water learning. You've been around this long enough so not much new for ya. I just like to talk fishing, well huntin too. We will hook up and go catch some fish. As soon as Pomme clears from floating trees, we will take a trip over there. Lots of good bluffs, transitions that are usually productive. Ive got around 20 hours of boat use since i installed the recessed tray. It was a nice addition. Thanks again.

Congrats on the family fishing day. We did the same when mine were young like yours. Keep them close to the outdoors and chances are they will be fine young men. I seen flagged trucks in town also. You should have posted that on here. My buddy Brandon in Willard would of joined ya. Hes all about flying the colors on his Jeep. Good post

greenheadrocker and i went. We both took our boats as he was already on his way when i called him. He caught a few keepers as well. Spinnerbait bite was on, but caught a few on wacky worm, including one of the walleyes. That was a first for me.

Looking to update unit at console. Ive been looking into the Garmin units. Man are they hi-tech, especially the GPSMAP7616, but at $6000.00 a computer picture is all i will ever see of it. Im leaning towards the echoMAP 94sv. Its priced at $1050.00, with a 9" screen, which comparing it to the Lowrance and Humminbird, is a good buy from my research. Just looking to see how popular Garmin Marine is. I know they make great sports/rec and aviation products.

Thanks guys, It looks like no rain in the forecast until next monday. Supposed to be in the 90's with sunshine, cool of 68 evenings. Looking foreard to getting away for a few days.

Thats pretty cool richy. That yak fishing has really taken off the past few years. Good luck the rest of the year.

Yep. Fished out of Ruark from 9am til 3pm. Caught a few smallies, few LM with 2 keepers, and 2 17" walleye.

Shark Tank

Great offer rps. Its guys like this that make the world better.

Well, the better half and i have been kicking around going back down to Fork the past few weeks. With the rain they've gotten in May, we were up in the air. Its been awhile since ive been there. I was raised not far from there, and have parents and siblings not far. Think we will head out early friday and get down there at lunch and leave sunday after fishing and lunch. They opened the dam to draw the lake down, but as of friday, the bite was still on even with the high water. Thats a tough lake when the water rises. Hoping for the Mrs. to catch her first double digit bass. Will follow up as we catch any hogs.

Your 20 minutes early. No video?

Great read, and sorry to hear about your old friend. Memories will take your thoughts to places for years to come.

The way it is, i doubt you have brake lights also.

each LED light needs to be grounded. If not it will do what you stated. Their not like the old 1157 bulb lights. But very bright and nice.. Just upgraded all my trailer lights to LED.

Love the sounds of the locust. Growing up as a country kid, we spent alot of time by the farm ponds " in Texas there called stock tanks" and the noise from the Cicadas still take me back to those days. Their noises drive many insane, but bring relaxation to myself. I can sit in the back by the barn all day listening to them. Thanks for the pictures.

As i read these posts on here from those that fish the Ned successfully, my mind always goes into non-believer mode. The reason behind that is, i have thrown it a half dozen times with no luck. I have watched videos, fished with others who use it, and still havent been impressed. Yesterday, on the way to Stockton, i decided to give the bait an honest try. I said i would not pick up another rod the entire day, no matter if i was catching fish or not, i was gonna throw the Ned til i left. Put the boat in at 9:30am. I started out fishing flooded brush in 5' of water, with boat in 12' of water. Water was very clear. I fished this bank for 45 minutes with 2 hits but no fish. Moved to another spot with a little deeper water, where flooded brush transitioned to chunk rock near a bluff. The first 10 casts i had 4 smallies. Continued fishing this bank out to 22' of water, on a main lake point, catching a few more smallies, a few LM, and a fat drum. Good productive area. Thought i would try an area that has always been a dead water area for me. I fished a main point, fishing back into a cove in 12' of water, throwing the Ned into 18' to 24' of water. I fished this area for 2 hours, catching a 14" Walleye, a 12" Crappie, a few more Smalles, and several LM. This area wasnt void of fish afterall. Stopped on another very small cove on the way back to the ramp. The cove is roughly 35 yards wide, and sits in 18' of water. Made 5 casts and caught 3 LM. Back 25 years ago me and a few buddies fished alot of golf courses. Those ponds were very productive for catching good fish. My go-to bait back then was a jig head with a 3" white twirly tailed grub. I caught lots of fish on that setup. The Ned isnt that much different than that setup, or other setups. From my limited experience with the Ned, i dont think its so much the jig head, as it is the combination of the Elaztec with the Salt. The bait i used yesterday, i slit the tail end 1/2" to give the bait more life, leaving a split tail. This combo worked well for me yesterday, on an 1/8oz head. My next trip where i decide to try something different, i will put a trirly tail bait on the same head, fish the same location, and see the difference, I understand fish move, water temps, water being up, etc. but pretty confident i can replicate yesterdays scenario in the near future. My take on the Ned: I wanted to try multiple ways to fish it to see if it made a difference. I fished it dragging along the bottom like a C. Rig, i fished it in a swim bait fassion, i fished it with a stop and go retrieve, and also fished it the way they say your supposed to, "very" slow. I caught fish on every retrieve style, but most of the fish came on dragging the bait like a C-Rig. Im sure it was the way the bait stirred up like a crawdad,mbut they loved that way, especially the smallies. The very slow, letting it set for up to a minute at a time caught several fish also. The least productive retrieve was swimming it back slowly. Im one of those that believe very little what i hear in life. I chose to give the Ned an honest try to either convence me that is wasnt all it was cracked up to be, or it would prove that it had a place in the boat. Well im sure we can find a place for it. My overall catch was 14 Smallies, 9 LM, 1 Drum, 1 Walleye, and 1 Crappie. Not a bad day for 6 1/2 hours of fishing a bait i had no confidence in. I will still throw my jigs, Spinner Baits, and Cranks, but will pick up the Ned when the others fail to produce. Again, i dont think its a new bait concept, but more of the bait itself. That Elaztec is an awesome product.

Looks good. Thought new trolling motor would come before electronics. I understand priorities tho.

Just got off the water. Ruark area. Water is clear and 68 to 71. Seen very little trash on that end.

Good post Hammer. Hey D, notice he said bluffs? ?

If you stop by BP marine center those guys will answer those questions. Pretty free with their info from what ive heard.

Heck, we can do it. I know the old saying is, a redneck cant find his way out of a cardboard box, but im an educated redneck. Or try Trackers Marine Center south of BP. Theyve installed several units for friends, and havent heard a negative word. (417) 887-3832

its uaually a very productive area. I havent fished it since last spring, but this is the time of year to be there, especially when their letting water out. Or just below the dam.

Fished Bull Shoals this morning for the first time. Have a tourney down there in July so wanted to check out the area. Put in at the little ramp before K-Dock. Man what a mess that is. Had to back my truck down to where the water was coming in the doors. Getting the boat back on the trailer was another task. Anywho, A guy on his dock i was fishing next to said the water was up 17'. I found some water up in the brush in 10' of water. Started out with Jolicious rainbow topwater. 2nd cast was this 16" LM. 4th and 5th cast were 14" fish. Caught a few more dinks, and missed a few that just blew it out of the air. There was a reason i found his bait floating on TR, so i can get my mojo on topwater. I havent been a big topwater guy for over 20 years, but catching fish on this bait gets my blood pumping for it again. Thanks again Jo. for loosing that bait. ?

Well, back in the old days, one would launch his 1978 Ranger Aztec 1750 at a public ramp, without a soul around. He would gracefully glide across the smooth as silk water to his favorite shoreline, not encountering a single boat along the way. He would fish that 100 yard stretch for 4 hours, catching lots of big fish, putting them all in the livewell to feed his growing family. He would then, just as gracefully, make his way back to the ramp, trailer his boat with a smile on his face, and head to the house with dinner in the boat, without ever so much as 1 single rude pleasure boater,mor fisherman cutting in front of him, or backing down the ramp, cutting him off. As far as the NOW, well i doubt its anything like the BEFORE.

Those are bold statements aggressor, but if you can do it, i will be impressed. As far as big fish, that can vary greatly from guy to guy. To be a big fish in this part of the country is anything over 5lbs. Anything over 8 is a trophy for Missouri, and lots of photos would be takin, along with a release. So if your big fish are what i consider big, then i hope you stick it to em. You could prove alot of very experienced anglers that fish Stockton that any average guy can go and catch hawgs at any given time, wrong. I cant wait for the pictures and videos of the 5+ pounders. I will be checking just after 10pm sunday.